Myself, two friends exploring the Rundu riverside.
“Write what you know,” someone important once said.
It certainly helps to have a visual reference to base fictional scenes on. Probably why I’m drawn to this image so often. Around January 1983, the Angolan border. Myself, age nineteen, and two friends taking a break from Air Force base Rundu. Not sure why I’m drinking Coke. I remember lots of beer.
The background has somehow managed to find a way into all my books. Most recently, in IVOOR, a description of the road to Mpacha along the Caprivi Strip where a friend and I bummed paw-paws off the local base’s chef, a trip that served as a memory crutch for a scene from IVOOR. An extract:
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Op die grondpad Rundu toe kry die Engelsman sy stem terug. Die son bak nou en sy voortdurende gekwetter werk op my senuwees. Hy kan nou eenmaal nie die stilte in ’n voertuig verdra nie.
Die pad strek spierwit, oos-wes verby Omega-basis, kruis die Okavangorivier by Bagani voor die laaste deel suid van die rivier tot in Rundu. Dis hipnoties reguit, geflank deur digte bos aan weerskante, die spierwit grond hard op die oë. Ons sukkel om wakker te bly.
By Bagani trek die Engelsman in by die basis en bedel vars papajas by die AO in bevel van die kombuis. Ons eet dit morsig in die Land Rover, gooi die skille by die vensters uit en vee taai hande aan ons broekspype af.
Carlos is sy gewone broeiende stil self, maar anderkant Bagani kry hy skielik lewe.
“Não pode ser legal, Tex.” Dit kan nie wettig wees nie.
“Wat?”
“Wat Hines gesê het. Oor die jag.”
“Hy het nie gesê dis wettig nie, Carlos. Hy’t gesê dis oorlog, daarom is dit geregverdig.”
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The image served to remind me of the bush for a description in BOS too. And the skinny dude on the right (I remember him only by his nickname Vissie) features as the visual reference for my character Lucky in SKAG.
IVOOR, BOS and SKAG are available at bookstores, or via my publisher, NB.
